Notice2025-03020
Vessel Entrance and Clearance Automation Test: Extension of Test
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 25, 2025
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentU.S. Customs and Border Protection
Abstract
This notice announces that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is extending the Vessel Entrance and Clearance Automation Test. This test allows participants to submit the vessel entry and clearance data required on CBP Forms 26, 226, 1300, 1302, 1303, 1304, and 3171, and to make certain entry and clearance requests and reports, to CBP electronically through the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 36 (Tuesday, February 25, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 25, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10638-10639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-03020]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Vessel Entrance and Clearance Automation Test: Extension of Test
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland
Security.
ACTION: General notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces that U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) is extending the Vessel Entrance and Clearance Automation Test.
This test allows participants to submit the vessel entry and clearance
data required on CBP Forms 26, 226, 1300, 1302, 1303, 1304, and 3171,
and to make certain entry and clearance requests and reports, to CBP
electronically through the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS).
DATES: The extended test will run for an additional 24 months until
February 21, 2027, unless further extended.
ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning this notice and any aspect of
the test may be submitted at any time during the test period via email
to Brian Sale, Branch Chief, Cargo and Conveyance Security, Manifest
Conveyance and Security Division, Office of Field Operations, U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a3ece5ec8eeec2cdcac5c6d0d7e1d1c2cdc0cbe3c0c1d38dc7cbd08dc4ccd5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c48b828be989a5aaada2a1b7b086b6a5aaa7ac84a7a6b4eaa0acb7eaa3abb2">[email protected]</span></a>. In
the subject line of the email, please write ``Comments on the Vessel
Entrance and Clearance Automation Test.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Sale, Branch Chief, Cargo and
Conveyance Security, Manifest Conveyance and Security Division, Office
of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, at (202) 325-
3338 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#58171e1775153936313e3d2b2c1a2a39363b30183b3a28763c302b763f372e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e4aba2abc9a9858a8d82819790a696858a878ca4878694ca808c97ca838b92">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations generally
require that the master or vessel agent \1\ of a commercial vessel
submit certain arrival, entrance, and clearance data to CBP when
traveling to and from U.S. ports of entry. See part 4 of title 19 of
the Code of Federal Regulations (19 CFR part 4). The vessel agent must
generally submit this data to CBP on paper forms. Some of the data
collected through these forms is redundant or already available to CBP
through other required data submission platforms, such as data required
by the applicable U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) regulations. See 33 CFR
160.201-216.
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\1\ For the purposes of this document, ``vessel agent'' may
include a vessel master or commanding officer, authorized agent,
operator, owner, consignee, or a third party contracted by the owner
or operator of the vessel to prepare and submit entrance and
clearance documentation to CBP on behalf of the vessel owner or
operator.
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On November 21, 2022, CBP published a notice in the Federal
Register (87 FR 70850) announcing the Vessel Entrance and Clearance
Automation Test (``the Test''). The Test allows for the partial
automation and electronic filing of many of CBP's paper-based
commercial vessel arrival, entrance, and clearance data collections.
Specifically, the Test allows participants to electronically submit to
CBP, through the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS), when
seeking to enter into or depart from a designated port, the entrance
and clearance data
[[Page 10639]]
that is collected on CBP Form 1300: Vessel Entrance or Clearance
Statement; \2\ CBP Form 1302: Inward Cargo Declaration; CBP Form 1303:
Ship's Stores Declaration; CBP Form 1304: Crew's Effects Declaration;
CBP Form 3171: Application-Permit-Special License Unlading-Lading-
Overtime Services; CBP Form 26: Report of Diversion; and CBP Form 226:
Record of Vessel Foreign Repair or Equipment Purchase.\3\ The Test also
allows participants to make certain entry and clearance requests and
reports. Additionally, the Test allows vessel agents to submit required
supporting documentation, such as vessel certificates, to CBP
electronically. CBP then uses the data and documentation submitted
through VECS to process vessel entrances and clearances electronically
at designated ports.
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\2\ Participants seeking foreign clearance from one of the
designated ports during this Test may also submit a paper CBP Form
1300. Alternatively, during the Test, CBP will also accept
submissions of CBP Form 1300 by fax or as an email attachment from
Test participants, at the discretion of the Port Director. For fax
or email submissions, CBP will respond in the same manner.
\3\ All other CBP forms required for the entrance and clearance
of a vessel (e.g., CBP Form 1302A: Cargo Declaration Outward with
Commercial Forms; CBP Form I-418: Passenger List-Crew List; and CBP
Form 5129: Crew Member's Declaration) are not part of this Test.
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The Test is authorized under 19 CFR 101.9(a), which authorizes the
CBP Commissioner to impose requirements different from those specified
in the CBP regulations for the purposes of conducting a test program or
procedure designed to evaluate the effectiveness of new technology or
operational procedures regarding the processing of passengers, vessels,
or merchandise. The Test assesses the functionality and effectiveness
of using VECS to automate the submission of certain vessel entrance and
clearance data elements to CBP electronically, instead of requiring the
completion and submission of multiple paper forms. VECS prepopulates
certain vessel arrival, entrance, and clearance information that Test
participants have previously submitted to CBP through other maritime
requirements and then prompts participants to enter additional data
elements required by the forms, manually. The participant must verify
that the information that has been prepopulated into VECS is accurate,
correct any inaccurate or incomplete data fields, supply any additional
information necessary, and confirm and submit the data to CBP. This
technology allows CBP to reduce paperwork burdens and promote greater
efficiency since CBP only needs to request data elements once, even
when a particular element is needed to satisfy the requirements of
multiple different CBP forms on different occasions, and/or the paper
format is required in duplicate or triplicate. Furthermore, this Test
decreases the time it takes for CBP Officers and the trade community to
process an entrance and clearance of a commercial vessel.
The November 21, 2022 Federal Register notice sets forth the
eligibility criteria, application process and acceptance, procedures,
and misconduct rules regarding the Test, as well as the vessel arrival,
entrance, and clearance processes and regulatory requirements to be
waived for participants of the Test. For further details, please refer
to the November 21, 2022 Federal Register notice. The designated ports
where the Test operates are set forth on the Vessel Entrance and
Clearance System page on CBP's website, available at <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/vecs">https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/vecs</a>. All participants must have a Vessel
Agency Portal Account in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)
because it serves as access for Test participants to the VECS platform.
For more information and for instructions on how to request an ACE
Vessel Agency Portal Account, please visit the Getting Started with CBP
Automated Systems page on CBP's website, available at <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/getting-started">https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/getting-started</a>.
II. Extension of the Vessel Entrance and Clearance Automation Test
Period
CBP announced in the November 21, 2022 Federal Register notice that
the Test would begin no earlier than December 21, 2022 and continue for
24 months from the date the Test actually began. Since the Test began
at the Port of Gulfport in Gulfport, Mississippi, on February 21, 2023,
it is scheduled to continue until February 21, 2025. CBP also stated
that any expansion or extension of the Test would be announced in the
Federal Register. Accordingly, this notice announces that CBP is
renewing the Test for an additional 24 months to continue to evaluate
the feasibility and effectiveness of CBP's capacity to automate CBP
Forms 26, 226, 1300, 1302, 1303, 1304, and 3171 through VECS. The
extended Test will now operate for an additional 24 months until
February 21, 2027, unless further extended.
CBP intends to initiate rulemaking to require the submission of
certain vessel arrival, entry, and clearance data to CBP electronically
through VECS for all mandated vessels seeking entry into or clearance
from U.S. ports after sufficient Test analysis and evaluation are
conducted.
III. Applicability of Initial Test Notice
All provisions in the November 21, 2022 Federal Register notice
remain applicable, subject to the further extension of the time period
provided herein.
IV. Privacy
CBP will ensure that all Privacy Act requirements and applicable
policies are adhered to during the continued implementation of this
Test.
V. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d))
requires that CBP consider the impact of paperwork and other
information collection burdens imposed on the public. An agency may not
conduct, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless the collection of information displays a valid
control number assigned by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
This Test does not impose any new information collection
requirements; it simply changes the modality through which currently
collected information is submitted to CBP. The Vessel Entrance and
Clearance Statement (CBP Form 1300) has been approved by OMB in
accordance with the requirements of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3507) under OMB
control number 1651-0019. In addition, the following collections of
information have been submitted to OMB for review and approval in
accordance with the requirements of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3507): 1651-0025
Report of Diversion (CBP Form 26), 1651-0027 Record of Vessel Foreign
Repair or Equipment (CBP Form 226), 1651-0001 Cargo Manifest/
Declaration, Stow Plan, Container Status Messages and Importer Security
Filing (CBP Form 1302), 1651-0018 Ship's Stores Declaration (CBP Form
1303), 1651-0020 Crew Effects Declaration (CBP Form 1304), 1651-0005
Application-Permit-Special License Unlading/Lading, Overtime Services
(CBP Form 3171).
Dated: January 14, 2025.
Diane J. Sabatino,
Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.
[FR Doc. 2025-03020 Filed 2-24-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P
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